Migration Services in Wales January 2015 – March 2017

Overview

This is a joint project between The Global Exchange for Migration and Diversity, The Migration Observatory and The Welsh Refugee Council, which aims to engage stakeholders, including the Welsh Government, to increase understanding of law, policy and practice relating to migrants in Wales. Through provision of authoritative briefings, training and an advice services, it seeks to inform policy development and good practice across a breadth of relevant policy areas and facilitate the development of a ‘strategic approach’ to migration in Wales. Through a day conference [Migration in Wales: Developing Local Strategic Frameworks on Integration] in June 2016 and subsequent engagement with individual local authorities, it is also facilitating the development of a strategic approach to integration at the local level. A comprehensive briefing for local authorities has been provided [Developing a Strategic Approach to Integration in Wales: A practical resource for Local Authorities and their partners in Wales].

Partners

Countries

Topics

Regions

Methods

A series of legal and policy briefings will be produced by The Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity, providing impartial, up-to-date information on key migration policy area identified by the project consortium, based on consultation with stakeholders. Alongside these legal and policy briefings, a series of migration trends will be developed by The Migration Observatory. The reports will seek to: inform policy on the basis of the latest available information on the demographics and characteristics of migrants in Wales; highlight dynamic changes in international migration in Wales over-time (2008-2014); provide a comparative perspective with the rest of the UK; reveal local variations to reflect potential localised and specific needs; and include information with meaningful groupings of migrants to give a nuanced picture of international migrants living and working in Wales.

Impact

This project will seek to engage a broad range of voluntary and statutory stakeholders, so that information needs in relation to migration policy and practice are identified and addressed, and awareness and use of the project’s outputs are maximised. Stakeholders include: Local authorities, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), Wales Migration Partnership (WMP), The Home Office, voluntary sector organisations, migrant communities, the NHS, Job Centres, the Association of Directors of Social Services (ADSS) Cymru, business groups and employers, trade unions, professional bodies, universities, colleges and schools. This is not an exhaustive list.

Stakeholders will be invited to consultation events (eight during the course of the project) to inform the delivery of the project. It is hoped that the provision of up-to-date and accessible information on migration policy and practice in Wales will inform good practice and evidence-based policymaking.